Democratic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison appeared stunned when protesters interrupted his speech for far-left Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan. The demonstrators demanded accountability after Ellison shut down the state’s Conviction Review Unit, a program that overturned three wrongful convictions over five years.
Ellison attributed the closure to insufficient funding from the Trump administration but quickly finished his remarks before rushing offstage amid persistent protests. Prior to being interrupted, he described the upcoming primary contest between Flanagan and incumbent Rep. Angie Craig as “truly a fight of the money versus the many,” referencing financial reports that show Flanagan holds only $1.56 million in cash on hand compared to Craig’s over $5 million for the period ending June 30.
Videos of the disruption were widely circulated on YouTube and social media platforms. Craig, Minnesota’s first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress and the first lesbian mother to serve in Congress, has received endorsements from establishment Democrats including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The state’s primary elections for both parties will take place on August 11.
